Under-reporting common in dengue fever outbreak: WHO | Pacific Beat

Under-reporting common in dengue fever outbreak: WHO

The World Health Organisation says under-reporting is a common problem in any dengue outbreak and the current epidemic in Fiji is no exception.

Under-reporting common in dengue fever outbreak: WHO (Credit: ABC)

Fiji is attempting to cope with its worst dengue fever outbreak since 1979 with the Health Minister, Neil Sharma, warning that without an intensive clean-up of mosquito breeding grounds, the epidemic could last for several more months.

Mr Sharma has confirmed there have been 11 deaths so far, and around 10,000 confirmed infections, but the minister says problems with under-reporting mean the true figure could be fifty per cent higher than that.

Presenter: Richard Ewart

Speaker: Dr Eric Nilles, medical epidemiologist, the World Health Organisation based in Suva

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